### Method

# Gio Application add_main_option_entries

since: 2.40

#### Declaration [src]

    void
    g_application_add_main_option_entries (
      GApplication* application,
      const GOptionEntry* entries
    )

#### Description [src]

Adds main option entries to be handled by `application`.

This function is comparable to g_option_context_add_main_entries().

After the commandline arguments are parsed, the `GApplication::handle-local-options` signal will be emitted. At this point, the application can inspect the values pointed to by `arg_data` in the given `GOptionEntrys`.

Unlike `GOptionContext`, `GApplication` supports giving a `NULL` `arg_data` for a non-callback `GOptionEntry`. This results in the argument in question being packed into a `GVariantDict` which is also passed to `GApplication::handle-local-options`, where it can be inspected and modified. If `G_APPLICATION_HANDLES_COMMAND_LINE` is set, then the resulting dictionary is sent to the primary instance, where `g_application_command_line_get_options_dict()` will return it. As it has been passed outside the process at this point, the types of all values in the options dict must be checked before being used. This “packing” is done according to the type of the argument — booleans for normal flags, strings for strings, bytestrings for filenames, etc. The packing only occurs if the flag is given (ie: we do not pack a “false” `GVariant` in the case that a flag is missing).

In general, it is recommended that all commandline arguments are parsed locally. The options dictionary should then be used to transmit the result of the parsing to the primary instance, where `g_variant_dict_lookup()` can be used. For local options, it is possible to either use `arg_data` in the usual way, or to consult (and potentially remove) the option from the options dictionary.

This function is new in GLib 2.40. Before then, the only real choice was to send all of the commandline arguments (options and all) to the primary instance for handling. `GApplication` ignored them completely on the local side. Calling this function “opts in” to the new behaviour, and in particular, means that unrecognized options will be treated as errors. Unrecognized options have never been ignored when `G_APPLICATION_HANDLES_COMMAND_LINE` is unset.

If `GApplication::handle-local-options` needs to see the list of filenames, then the use of `G_OPTION_REMAINING` is recommended. If `arg_data` is `NULL` then `G_OPTION_REMAINING` can be used as a key into the options dictionary. If you do use `G_OPTION_REMAINING` then you need to handle these arguments for yourself because once they are consumed, they will no longer be visible to the default handling (which treats them as filenames to be opened).

It is important to use the proper GVariant format when retrieving the options with g_variant_dict_lookup(): - for `G_OPTION_ARG_NONE`, use `b` - for `G_OPTION_ARG_STRING`, use `&s` - for `G_OPTION_ARG_INT`, use `i` - for `G_OPTION_ARG_INT64`, use `x` - for `G_OPTION_ARG_DOUBLE`, use `d` - for `G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME`, use `^&ay` - for `G_OPTION_ARG_STRING_ARRAY`, use `^a&s` - for `G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME_ARRAY`, use `^a&ay`.

Available since: 2.40

#### Parameters

`entries`

  Type: An array of `GOptionEntry`

  The main options for the application.

  The array must be `NULL`-terminated.
  The data is owned by the caller of the method.